Distribution and density of mixed-input ON bipolar cells of the goldfish (Carassius auratus) during growth

Author(s)

Corredor, Vitor H. ^{[1, 2]} ; da Silva, Flavio T. ^{[1, 2]} ; Baran, Luiz C. P. ^{[1, 2]} ; Ventura, Dora F. ^{[1, 2]} ; Joselevitch, Christina ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Expt Psychol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Grad Program Neurosci & Behav, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY; v. 527, n. 5, p. 903-915, APR 1 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Neurons are continuously produced at different rates and locations in the teleost retina. Goldfish rods are homogeneously distributed and maintain a stable density throughout growth, whereas little is known about their postsynaptic partners. We examined the distribution and density of mixed-input ON bipolar cells (ON mBCs) in 57 goldfish of various sizes by immunolabeling their retinas with an antibody against PKC alpha and counting PKC alpha-positive neurons in wholemounts. Cell densities were correlated with morphometric data for the same animals, and the spatial resolution of the ON mBC mosaic was calculated in each case. The distribution of ON mBCs is homogeneous throughout growth. For a 10-fold change in body size (i.e., from 20 to 200 mm), the total number of ON mBCs increases 2.8 times, while retinal area expands around 10 times. As a consequence, the density of ON mBCs in large fish falls to similar to 1/3 of that of small animals, and intercellular spacing doubles. The eye and the lens become around three times larger from small to large fish. This causes the retinal magnification factor (and thereby the image projected onto retina) to augment by the same amount. Because the retinal magnification factor rises more than the intercellular spacing in the same animals, the spatial resolution of the ON mBC mosaic improves from 0.8 to 1.4 cycles/degree as the body size increases from 20 to 200 mm. As ON mBCs are mostly rod-driven, our results suggest that the scotopic acuity of the goldfish may improve as the animal grows. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/26818-2 - Development and implementation of visual evaluation methods: clinical applications and animal models
• Grantee: Dora Selma Fix Ventura
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/16469-0 - Vision and cellular communication in the retina: the role of mixed-input bipolar cells
• Grantee: Christina Joselevitch
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants